LASU sacks lecturers’ over alleged sexual harassment

Investigation by National Daily has revealed that three lecturers at the Lagos State University (LASU) may be sacked anytime from now over cases of alleged sexual harassment of their students.

The governing council of the institution has concluded investigations into the matter.

The sacking of the randy teachers would be announced after the next meeting of the council, slated for next month.

An authoritative source familiar with the development, revealed the identities of the lecturers in an interview with National Daily.

The lecturers are from the Departments of Chemistry and Economics, while the third is from the LASU College of Medicine (LASUCOM) at Ikeja.

National Daily gathered that two of the teachers allegedly told two female students, who they had been `eyeing’ to come and re-sit papers on a Saturday with intent to take sexual advantage of the students.

The source said that the students, however, reported the issue to the university’s security department, which reportedly advised them to play along with the teachers in a bid to catch them red-handed.

According to the source, the LASUCOM lecturer, similarly, directed two female medical students to buy an injection, which he allegedly ended up using on the students “to sedate them and take advantage of them sexually’’.

Reacting to the allegation, the LASUCOM lecturer, (name withheld), said that the accusation of sexual harassment against him was the handiwork of mischief makers.

He, however, did not elaborate but confirmed that the LASU panel invited him to answer questions on unethical conduct, arising from a medical prescription he gave to students.

On their part, the two other accused lecturers, declined to make comments when contacted.

National Daily also gathered that council would similarly, decide the fate of three executive members of the LASU Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, accused of stealing a confidential document and committing other offences.

When contacted, the Chairman of the LASU Governing Council, Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo, declined to comment on the raging problem between the unionists and the university, directing NAN to the institution’s Corporate Affairs Unit for comments on the matter.

The Spokesman for the university, Mr Ademola Adekoya, however, confirmed the cases as revealed.

He said that the recommendations of the panel would be ratified by the council in its sitting next month.

Adekoya described the issues, especially those relating to sexual harassment and stealing of official documents as regrettable, restating the determination of the LASU authorities to sanitize the system.

He described cases of misconduct as unacceptable to the university, saying that the institution had zero tolerance to such cases.

“The panel is ongoing. The joint committee of senate and council is already sitting and would make its recommendations to the governing council.

“Whatever they recommend would be considered by the governing council in its sitting next month and the decision of the council would be final,” the spokesman said.